Hey Stephen,
I really liked your rendition. I’m a bit of a frustrated pianist myself and spend most of my practice time behind the piano rather than the arranger. Let me ask you this; On the solo piano pieces that you have posted, did you learn them from a special arrangement written for piano, a lead sheet or by ear? Any tips on solo jazz piano would be appreciated!
Paul most of the jazz style tunes I play are from jazz transcriptions/special arrangements. When it comes to playing by ear that's a weak point for me so I never learn solo piano by ear. So far as advice the only thing I can say is continue to spend as much time you can practicing but you know that already.
I'll give you the run down how I was taught years back when I was working with a piano teacher. He had me working out of the Hanon series books for technique, also Czerny for technique as I advanced. Each week he'd assign technique exercise(s), a pop tune, a classical work, later when I wanted to take a crack at improvising he had me study chords. I could spend weeks on more difficult tunes so it wasn't necessarily a new tune every week. When it came to jazz he'd recommend a book of jazz transcriptions then I'd take and learn them note by note.
Today I don't spend any time with classical type music but when I can I take the Hanon book and play 10 or so of the basic finger excercises to keep my strength up in the weaker fingers. Hope that helps you!
As a side note, I learned "I Remember Clifford " in the early 90s and hadn't played it in years then Chas posted a version of it and I thought I gotta play that again. When I played it thru the first time I found it needed work so for about a week I spent about an hour a day working on it to get out the rought spots.
Bueatiful tune, never heard it, and great playing. Nice work !!!!
Bill, Thank you.
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